Optical recorder and/or player including cleaning means

ABSTRACT

An optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a recording and/or scanning device fitted with a lens. A current of air which blows away dust that would otherwise impair the quality of reproduction can be directed over the lens by ribs on the underside of a turntable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Operation of equipment of this type, compact-disk players in particular,has demonstrated that dust on the surface of the lens in the pickupsystem can considerably decrease the scanning quality, which expressesitself for example in poorer music reproduction.

Accumulated dust will even deteriorate reproduction in analog-recordplayers that mechanically scan an audio track with a stylus. The VR15cartridge manufactured by Shure Brothers accordingly featured a tinybrush that swept a number of adjacent grooves free of dust in advance ofthe stylus.

Also known was an approach wherein the stylus traveled over a smallbrush as the pickup arm moved toward or away from its rest, brushingdust off the stylus. This device was manufactured by Elac, Kiel.

A device for blowing away and/or suctioning up small particles whilerecords were being played by the AEG-Telefunken TED process was alsoknown.

Reducing or eliminating detrimental deposits of dust particles on thesurface of the lens of the optical system in equipment of the typeinitially described herein was the object of the present invention.

The invention makes it possible with appropriate means to decrease orprevent the deposit of dust on the surface of the lens in an opticalrecording and/or playback mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Two embodiments of the invention will now be specified with reference tothe drawing, wherein

FIG. 1 is a highly simplified top view of a lens cap mechanicallyactivated by the recording and/or playback mechanism and

FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating the principle of a blower that aims ajet of air over the surface of the lens.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a mechanical device activated by a recording and/orplayback mechanism 3 as it moves into its disengaged or farthest-outposition next to a turntable 2. Recording and/or playback mechanism 3 isalso illustrated in a position within its range of operation, whereby alens 4 is exposed by a pivoting lid 5 as it swings counterclockwisesubject to the force of a tension spring 8 and encounters a stop 7 on anarm 9 of pivoting cap 5. As a radial drive mechanism shifts recordingand/or playback mechanism 3 back into the disengaged position, pivotingcap 5 swings clockwise into the illustrated position, covering lens 4and protecting it from dust. The swing occurs against the force oftension spring 8 once recording and/or playback mechanism 3 has forcedanother arm 10 on pivoting cap 5 against a stop 6 secured to the chassisor base plate 1. The component with arms 9 and 10 is rigidly attached topivoting cap 5 and pivots around an axis 11. The drawing isapproximately twice actual size.

FIG. 2 is approximately actual size and illustrates a device thatgenerates a jet of air aimed over the surface of the lens. Theillustrated compact disk 20 is to be considered transparent, as is theturntable 21 below it, which has curved ribs 28. As turntable 21 spinsin the direction indicated by arrow 26, the ribs generate a jet of airthat is aimed by a baffle 27 over the surface of lens 23 on the top ofrecording and/or playback mechanism 24. The arrow 25 facing in theopposite direction represents the radial motion of recording and/orplayback mechanism 24 during playback. The radial double-headed arrow 22indicates the scanning range.

I claim:
 1. An optical recorder and/or player for playing aninformation-storage medium in form of a disk, comprising: a lens andmeans for maintaining the surface of said lens free of dust; a turntableand a motor for driving said turntable, said turntable rotating saiddisk; said turntable having a side not rested on by said disk said sidehaving ribs for generating a jet of air; and baffles for deflecting saidjet of air over the surface of said disk.
 2. An optical recorder and/orplayer as defined in claim 1, including a recording and/or playbackmechanism; controls acting on said mechanism to ensure that said lenswill be cleaned when a user turns off said recorder and/or player oractivates ready-to-play, repeat, or pause modes before and/or afterphases of activation on part of said mechanism.
 3. An optical recorderand/or player as defined in claim 1, including a power-supply plug andenergy-storage means for supplying energy to clean said lens when saidpower-supply plug is accidentally removed from an outlet or when a powerfailure occurs.
 4. An optical recorder and/or player as defined in claim1, including a recording and/or playback mechanism; a timer for ensuringthat said mechanism will arrive in a disengaged and cleaning positionbefore an external power supply is discontinued.